The best time of year to visit London is the fall. If you're able, plan a trip in September when there are many cultural events, including the Thames Festival (mid-September) and Open House (end of September). Open House is a week-long event where historical buildings typically closed to the public are open. And for opera fans, the Royal Opera House season opens in September. If you are unable to visit London in September, not to worry: there are things to do all year long. For a calendar of activities in London, see the following website: http://www.londontourist.org/when.html.
Whenever you visit, plan your trip in advance to take advantage of possible discounts on airfare and hotels and to make arrangements to see all of the sites that interest you. For helpful tips on planning your stay, visit London's official tourism website at http://www.visitbritain.us/.
Invest in a travel guidebook. One of the best is from a London-based publishing company called DK, which stands for Dorling Kindersley. Their guidebook "DK Eyewitness Guide to London" is available in bookstores and from online booksellers. The book divides the city into sections and provides the history and culture of each section, along with weather, maps and price guides to hotels and fascinating sites to see within each section of the city.
